Agriculture Secretary: There Is No Rice Shortage; Farmers Were Used As Pawns

Department of Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala averred that there is no shortage of rice in Region XII. Kidapawan City, which was recently mired by violent clashes between farmers-protesters and police authorities over the release of 15,000 sacks of rice subsidy, is one of the provinces in Region XII. Alcala claims that Region XII has 120% sufficiency level, hence, the region cannot be beset by scarcity of rice.

Alcala adds that if there really is shortage, the price of rice and “palay” should have shot up in accordance with the economic principle of law of supply and demand, but no increase in price was recorded. The Secretary claims that the farmers were merely duped into joining the protests by individuals with vested interest.

(The real mistake is when some of our countrymen did not consider the welfare of others by misleading the latter to think that rice is being rationed, when they know that such a situation does not exist.)

Alcala feels sorry for the farmers who were merely used as pawns in an interview by GMA News.